1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to covers for satellite communication antennas. Such covers must not interfere with a radio signal being received (or transmitted) in any substantial degree. The antenna cover of the present invention not only allows transmission of radio signals without significant loss, but provides a substantial degree of performance enhancement under certain weather conditions such as heavy precipitation, snow, or ice accumulation.
The present invention in a preferred embodiment comprises a sheet of suitable fabric material of generally circular outline, preferably having a central aperture to accommodate a conventional antenna receiver and feed unit. The cover is provided with means for securing it in place, such as a hem around its periphery which encloses a heavy drawstring or drawcord. The stretchability and flexibility of the materials is such that the cover may be placed over the face of the antenna dish with the antenna feed near the center of the cover and with the periphery of the cover extending beyond the edges of the antenna dish preliminarily to pulling the drawcord tight and causing the drawcord and hem of the cover to capture the edge of the dish to firmly secure the cover; a spool and ratchet, pull-tite or any suitable means may be provided to facilitate the tightening of the drawcord and securing it until one desires to loosen the cord and remove the cover.
The primary use for covers according to the invention is thought to be for home satellite communication receivers of all sizes and shapes, but such covers may also find use for satellite receivers used in commercial or other applications.
The manner of securing the cover on the dish makes it relatively easy to remove the cover for any reason. Decorative covers for the antenna may be designed with seasonal or holiday motifs and changed during the year to appropriately coordinate with the season. Covers according to the invention are suitable for use with existing large antenna dishes from four feet to eleven feet in diameter, and smaller covers are suitable for parabolic antenna dishes of less than two feet diameter as the size is reduced through technological advances.
2. Prior Art
Parabolic antennas have been in use for many decades where they have been employed for uses other than home television reception from communication satellites. In uses for other than home television, a variety of forms of covers have been developed for parabolic antennas, mostly for protection against adverse weather conditions. Such covers have typically been made of rigid plastic material with a spherical or parabolic shape completely enclosing the face of the parabolic antenna including the feed structure located near the focus of the parabola. Examples of such antennas are disclosed in the patent to J. S. Hart, dated Nov. 7, 1967, U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,947, (U.S. Cl. 43/840) and the patent to Grenzeback, dated Jun. 19, 1973, U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,755, (U.S. Cl. 343/840).
Rigid covers have also been employed where the antenna feed structure extends through an opening in the center of the cover as illustrated in the patent to Schudel, dated Feb. 14, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,972 (U.S. Cl. 343/840).
Also, covers have been known for parabolic antennas which were formed of a relatively flexible tarpaulin-like sheet preferably of rubberized materials such as "Hypalon". This structure included a pressurizing or pressure equalizing arrangement to prevent wind induced vibrations and damaging of the "radar member of cover" as shown in the patent to W. F. Weir, dated Jun. 11, 1968, U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,401 (U.S. Cl. 343/872). A similar cover in the form of an "Antenna Sunshield Membrane" is shown in the patent to Bogorad, et al., dated Feb. 1, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,592 (U.S. Cl. 343/872).
Protective covers for home satellite dishes have been produced and marketed of a sort generally similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 304,454 to Serres, dated Nov. 7, 1989 (U.S. Cl. D14/231). These covers tend to be rather loosely fitting covers which were either flat or extended over some part of the receiver horn support structure; in some cases a drawstring was utilized to secure the cover in a rather loosely fitting fashion.
None of these parabolic antenna covers or other known antenna covers are appropriate to provide a tightly emplaceable and easily removable flexible fabric cover for home television antenna dishes of all sizes and shapes in the manner of the present invention.